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The Analects – Chapter 81 (4.16). Righteousness or Gain: the moral divide
4.16 The Master said, “A gentleman takes as much trouble to discover what is right as lesser men take to discover what will pay.”
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The Analects – Chapter 80 (4.15). The golden thread of Confucian doctrine
4.15 The Master said, “Shen! My Way (Dao) has one (thread) that runs right through it.”
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The Analects – Chapter 79 (4.14). Inner cultivation over external validation
4.14 The Master said, “He does not mind not being in office; all he minds about is whether he has qualities that entitle him to office. He does not mind failing to get recognition; he is too busy doing the things that entitle him to recognition.”
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The Analects – Chapter 78 (4.13). The politics of yielding
4.13 The Master said, “If it is really possible to govern countries by ritual and yielding, there is no more to be said. But if it is not really possible, of what use is ritual?”